“One Small Change Part 2”

You might remember a couple weeks ago me mentioning I was going to take part in the “one small change” challenge. At that time I made the commitment to exercise at least 30 minutes every single day. When I made the commitment I felt rather ambitious starting the project, and figured it would be a piece a cake. Although I have loved spending 30 minutes of exercise each day, I have noticed that at times in our busy lifestyles it can seem rather inconvenient to ourselves.

We are stuck in our daily routines, and it can feel like its impossible to add another extra few minutes to the clock.
It’s funny how I noticed my mind making every excuse of why I couldn’t do just 30 minutes of exercise, when deep down I already was feeling the benefit of the daily 30 minutes in not only my body but also my mind.

I did however, force myself to keep moving even on days that I would have rather slept in. After a while it became routine and instead of having a next or cup of coffee, laying in bed for another half hour, or spending my time on the Internet, I was actually looking forward to putting those things aside to improve my health.

Now when I first started I stayed within my comfort zone. I would spend 30 minutes walking around the block while I was on the telephone, instead of having conversations at the kitchen table. I would ride my bicycle to the store when all I needed to pick up was creamer, instead of driving my car. After a few days of trying to weasel in my exercise here and there I found myself waking up refreshed and eager to start my daily routine. I’d hop out of bed, enjoy a shake and some coffee, and after dropping off my daughter from school I’d begin a workout.

I went from casual walks to actually jogging 2-3 miles at a time. I went from bicycling around my neighborhood, to riding my bike to different parks around my town to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere they would provide. I even ended up trying out a few new things like buying a cheap pair of roller skates, picking up my old jump rope, and scooping up some weights off of Craigslist. I started to feel invincible after my 30 minutes of exercise. It helped me become more present in my daily life, and ready to tackle whatever came my way. After all, if I could handle a 3 mile run, I felt like i certainly could deal with the rest of my day at work.

My family has even become more involved, and inspired by my progress with my wife suggesting leisurely bike rides around the block at lunch time and my daughter always asking for “a quick walk”, even if she is usually asking right before bedtime.

Have you made your “One Small Change” commitment? If you have, how is the progress coming? What commitment did you make? If you haven’t, there is still time! Join me in the “One Small Change” challenge! What are you waiting for?

Small changes in your life can improve your well-being. Puritan’s Pride wants to help. Pledge today, enter the sweepstakes to win $2,000 and prizes to help you stick to it.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Puritan’s Pride. The opinions and text are all mine.

Modern Day Moms is an award-winning publication centered around motherhood that is real and unfiltered. Basically, we don’t sugarcoat anything and aren’t afraid to tell you the truth. Let’s be best friends, we will make you feel more normal.

5 COMMENTS

Denise Spencer It’s an individual challenge but I’ve decided to include my family to make it easier because to be honest, it’s not easy. I’ve found that turning it into a family affair, I’m more apt to getting off my arse and doing something fun! We’ve gone walking on nature trails and just spent time walking around the neighborhood. So far so good.

Good for you! From your blog post, I totally feel ya, at the end of the day… last thing I want to do is get off my butt and do something. But if I say “lets go do X” my three year old won’t stop jibbering about it until we do it! :)